Texas head coach Charlie Strong walks along the sideline during an NCAA college football game against UCLA, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas head coach Charlie Strong walks along the sideline during an NCAA college football game against UCLA, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Photo: Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press

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Offensive lineman Kennedy Estelle played in 16 games and had nine starts for the Longhorns.

Offensive lineman Kennedy Estelle played in 16 games and had nine starts for the Longhorns.

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Strong dismisses ninth UT player

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AUSTIN — Hours after offensive tackle Kennedy Estelle became the ninth player he's kicked off of Texas' football team in nine months, coach Charlie Strong said Tuesday he did not make that decision lightly.

“Anytime a player is dismissed from this program, it hurts me,” Strong said. “We're here to help young men, not to run them off.”

But Estelle ultimately ran out of chances after what Strong described as a repeated violation of one of his team's five core values: honesty, respect for women, no stealing, no drugs and no guns.

Estelle, who started UT's season opener at left tackle, had been suspended since Sept. 1. Strong said Monday he expected Estelle and fellow tackle Desmond Harrison — who remains on suspension — to return to practice this week. But Strong said a new issue involving Estelle “popped up” and prompted the dismissal.

“You're told something over and over again,” Strong said. “When you're asked to do something, you're part of a team. When you don't (do it), you affect the whole team, and you affect the whole program.”

Estelle, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound junior from Pearland Dawson, played in 16 career games for UT with nine starts.